Larry Lucchino and Pedro Martinez: A Love Story
In the long history and tradition of the Boston Red Sox, there are a handful of names that when mentioned generate immeasurable passion. Ted Williams, Carl Yastremzki, Jason Varitek, Manny Ramirez, Roger Clemens, and David Ortiz, among others. But there is one, a specific name, whose leadership, personality, and quality
In the long history and tradition of the Boston Red Sox, there are a handful of names that when mentioned generate immeasurable passion. Ted Williams, Carl Yastremzki, Jason Varitek, Manny Ramirez, Roger Clemens, and David Ortiz, among others. But there is one, a specific name, whose leadership, personality, and quality as a ballplayer led him to become a pitcher whom fans adored and rival hitters feared—the great Pedro Martínez.
Born in Manoguayabo, Dominican Republic, on October 27, 1971, Martínez is the son of Paulino and Leopoldina Martínez and is the fifth of six children. The professional baseball career of the right-handed pitcher began in 1988 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he made his Major League Baseball debut on September 24, 1992, against the Cincinnati Reds. In 1995 he was traded to the Montreal Expos, and after two very solid years in Canada, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox for a contract worth $75,000,000 through six years, a record figure for a pitcher at the time. The rest is history.
Martínez became one of the best pitchers ever for the Red Sox with a 117-37 record, 2.52 ERA with 1683 strikeouts, two Cy Young Awards, and a World Series championship ring. However, Pedro Martínez's career was about much more than just numbers. His time in Boston led him to cross paths with Larry Lucchino, former CEO of the Red Sox and current Chairman and Principal Owner of the Worcester Red Sox. The relationship formed between Martínez and Lucchino led to various successes and memories.
The current WooSox President, Dr. Charles Steinberg, recalls some of the memories left by Pedro's journey through Fenway Park.
"Pedro knows the whole game, not just the stats, but the whole game," Steinberg said. "He knows what intimidates the opponent and beats them mentally, and Larry respects, appreciates, and embraces all those who know the whole game. Larry recognizes the intellectual and the human part of the player, not just robots that go out on the field and execute."
So, the personalities of both figures were destined to be a successful combination.
When Steinberg met Martínez for the first time, one of the things that impressed him most was the ability the Dominican had with the English language; in press conferences, he dominated the questions using the right words with the right timing and with great non-verbal communication.
"This wasn't someone speaking broken English, this is someone speaking beautiful English, which allowed him to communicate his deepest thoughts eloquently and elegantly, and I thought, wow, who is this guy?" Steinberg said.
Pedro has many skills, both athletic and social, but one of the most important, according to Steinberg, is his ability to identify if someone deserves his trust.
"Pedro has X-ray eyes," he said. "Pedro can see people's hearts, he can guess if a person is trustworthy, and he stays away from those who don't see the big picture."
Lucchino, who has 35 years of experience with players of Pedro's caliber, knows the importance of handling these personalities and finding a way to connect with the players.
"The ability to connect with different types of people, who have different strengths and different weaknesses, is very important," Lucchino says.
In 2015, Martinez was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility—the ultimate prize for one of the best pitchers in modern history.
Fast forward to 2020 when Larry Lucchino started a new adventure with the Worcester Red Sox, Pedro Martínez was one of the great figures to wish Lucchino success. Pedro made an appearance at Polar Park for the WooSox's Inaugural Season in 2021.